Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Miles&Points > Airlines and Mileage Programs > American Airlines | AAdvantage
Reload this Page >

AA Miles Award: TN / Air Tahiti Nui award redemptions (master thread)

Old Jan 2, 2013, 4:02 am
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: Prospero
Air Tahiti Nui (TN) is a non-oneworld airline partner of AA. AAdvantage members may use AA miles for awards on TN; members earn miles on TN only if flying TN as an AA marketed / codeshare. AA and TN have expanded codesharing to include CDG, AKL. It is also possible to earn AA miles flying as a Qantas codeshare due to an exclusion from the normal oneworld rule of earning on a oneworld codeshare only if operated by another oneworld airline.

You can now search for TN award availability on aa.com. But you may have to call AA due to some aa.com anomalous behavior. You may also use tools such as ExpertFlyer to find availability, or use Qantas as described in The High Life here.

NOTE: Air Tahiti Nui is skipping the USA with the exception of 4-5 flights weekly as of mid-March 2020 and initially through 7 April due to the novel Coronavirus and flying PPT-CDG without stopping at LAX. Link to TN travel policy page.

For AAdvantage awards, remember there must be an unconstructed fare offered by TN - as the most significant carrier - from one's origin - it may not be so likely you'll find an unconstructed fare from FAR or JAX to PPT, more likely from DFW. Otherwise, you may need to get yourself to an OK origin airport with a separate award or paid ticket.

Award classes you are looking for on TN (updated Dec 2017 by dkc192) are:
  • TN awards on AA need to have an "AP" or Another Partner award code.
  • NOTE: ]F is J award
  • U is Y award
  • Z has been J upgrade
  • There is no longer First Class on TN
  • Moana Premium Economy is not available as an award booking yet

See FleyeSkyHighs post #599

First, the basics. The should search for available inventory with the following criteria:

Promo Box- leave empty
Carrier Code Box- TN
Inventory Box- ADV

That's pretty much true for all award searches so if the rep didn't know how to find the carrier code of TN your best bet is going to be to HUCA. Assuming you get that far the next gotcha is the way the type of award code that is used. Often times the agent will simply search for a American or OneWorld award code. That will not work. They need to search using an "AP" award code which basically means "Another Partner Award Code."

...Air Tahiti Nui decided to change their business class award booking codes from I to F back in July of 2017. Much of AA's documentation has not been updated. I think they may have changed the letter codes of Economy awards also...they now come from bucket code U. It's helpful to remind the AA agents of the inventory code you are looking to book. I can tell you they are searching for I or U for business or X or T for economy they have not got the right "AP" award code for the search.

Lastly, I have found it helpful to ask them to go to their other screen and try a "direct access" search for the F or U award inventory directly with TN. This last step in my experience has set off the light bulb for most agents to get it done. I used to have a 10% success rate booking TN awards with AA but once I followed all the steps about I am at 80% plus (meaning I only have to HUCA 1 out of every 5 times).
See mercruiser's TN Business award booking process here.

NOTE: AA Agents may have difficulty finding the award space themselves, but:

See the aa.com page on award redemption charts, including the South Pacific, here. From March 22, 2016 on, here.

See post #1 for information on the TN 787 and illustrations, including seat chartand post #2 for information on the A340-343s retiring in 2019.

TN does not belong to any alliance at this time, though they do offer some codeshares and accept awards booked by a number of airlines (including AA). TN offers a "QF3826" PPT-AKL, but as pointed out by JonNYC elsewhere, though ExpertFlyer displays it as a prime flight, it's a codeshare operated by TN and not available for an award. (N.B. ExpertFlyer will show TN award seats accurately.)

Originally Posted by franzose
Since TN introduced 'seat la carte' on 1 Sept 2019, you can do seat selection online under the condition your booking was ticketed. You need the TN reservation code (PNR):
  • Go to manage booking, enter your details (PNR - last name), open reservation
  • Go to manage booking, modify traveler details. ENTER CONTACT INFORMATION. THIS IS THE KEY TO BEING ABLE TO SEE SERVICES/SEAT SELECTION. Then select 'continue'.
  • Go to Additional Services with the meals sign
  • Go to the Seating and pick your seats (free for business, preference or extra comfort seats in Economy at a fee)
Only works on the regular website, not mobile.
To request seat assignments, please contact our Air Tahiti Nui reservation office at least 72 hours prior to departure. However, we recommend requesting your seat assignments as soon as you confirm and ticket your reservations, so that more seat options will be available. Please be advised, exit and bulkhead rows can only be assigned at the airport.

Air Tahiti Nui aims to honor advance-seating requests. However, we cannot guarantee any particular seat even if the booking is confirmed. Air Tahiti Nui reserves the right to reassign seats at any time, even after boarding of the aircraft, for operational, safety or security reasons. Please accept our apologies if your preferred seat is not available at departure.
- Exit and Bulkhead seats can only be assigned at the airport.

- On the A340 a Business seat or pair may be reserved for the pilot not flying.

- TN, 2019 (Note TN easily gives away predilect seats to friends and family, so if you lose your exit row or other favored seat dont be surprised.)

You can not upgrade TN flights with AA miles, but they offer paid counter upgrades (availability based, Feb 2016 $1,000 Y to J, first come first served, so arrive early at check-in, and they may decline to upgrade paid codeshare flights). See http://borabora.airtahitinui-usa.com...es-charges.asp.

We dont know if an upgrade from Moana Coach can be purchased to Premium Economy (on the 787-9) as yet.

Link to summary information about PPT Airport.

Link to Papeete Faaa / PPT very useful page at SleepingInAirports.net.

Air Tahiti Nui was established on 31 October 1996 and commenced flight operations on 20 November 1998. The government of French Polynesia is the major shareholder (84.4%) along with other local investors. (Wikipedia)

Fleet

NOTE: TN began flying their Boeing 787-9 Tahitian Dreamliner (with GE engines, two purchased, two leased) LAX-PPT etc.18 November, 2018. See Air Tahiti Nui / TN to launch 787-9 Dreamliner 7 November 2018 for more information, including a link to the PDF seat chart. ALL five A340-343s will be replaced by four 787-9s by October 2019.
Boeing 787-9 Tahitian Dreamliner (4 to be in fleet, all by October 2019) link to,TN 787-9 page.

These 787-9s have 30J - 32W - 232Y in a three class configuration . They also offer Panasonic Ku band internet connectivity via WiFi and eX3 IFE.

Boeing 787-9 Tahitian Dreamliner seating
C30 (Poerava Business) 2-2-2 Rockwell Collins (ne B/E Aerospace) Parallel Diamond (similar to J in the AA A321T or J on QR 777-200LR)
W32 (Moana Premium) 2-3-2 Zodiac Aerospace Z535 Premium Economy class seats.
Y232 (Moana Economy) 3-3-3 in two cabins, with Zodiac Aerospace Z300 Economy class seats
for a total of 294 seats

See post #1 for a current 789 seat chart or SeatGuru here.
Seats in Poerava First are AB, DE, KL
Seats in Moana Premium are AB, DEF, KL
Seats in Moana Premium are ABC, DEF, JKL

Woven together our fleet names have a hidden meaning: The warrior (TOA) going forward (MUA) in the great (NUI) canoe (VAA)! The 787-9s will be / are:

F-OMUA Fakarava
F-ONUI Tupaia
F-OVAA Bora Bora
F-OTOA Tetiaroa
Airbus A340-343 (four of five remain in service 1/1/2019; the remainder will be phased out by October 2019)

Four A340s have undergone a CIP (Cabin Improvement Program), one (F-OJTN "Bora Bora") has, and will, not be refurbished. Though "Bora Bora" is more likely to be used on South Pacific - Asia flights, it still visits LAX periodically. Perhaps it will be the first A340 to be retired?

TN have eliminated Poerava First and only offer Poerava Business and Moana Economy classes on the A340, and have added Moana Premium (Premium Economy) on the 789. (See below.) A thread on selecting seats with AA awards and codeshares can be read here. The A340 Poerava Business seats are shell angled lie flat seats; Moana Economy seats presumably have 33 seat pitch, but feels tighter; bulkhead and exit row seating can only be assigned at airport check-in.

As seat charts are the same for all five A340s, it's difficult to know which configuration you will be on.

Link to seat chart.
Seat selection and On Line Check In:

At this time, online check-in and online seat selection are not available.

To request seat assignments, please contact our Air Tahiti Nui Reservations Office at least 72 hours prior to departure at (877) 824-4846. However, we recommend requesting your seat assignments as soon as you confirm and ticket your reservations, so that more seat options will be available. Please be advised, exit and bulkhead rows can only be assigned at the airport.

Air Tahiti Nui aims to honor advance-seating requests. However, we cannot guarantee any particular seat even if the booking is confirmed. Air Tahiti Nui reserves the right to reassign seats at any time, even after boarding of the aircraft, for operational, safety or security reasons. Please accept our apologies if your preferred seat is not available at departure.
But:

Originally Posted by UKdiver
Discovered today you can do it using Qatar's website, even if you don't have QR flights in the booking. You need the Amadeus locator code. [If you booked an award with AA, request the agent to give you TN's locator.]
Lounges

Only TN Poerava Business flyers get lounge access (AA codeshare flyers have been denied) TN are not oneworld, so oneworld status does not apply.

At AKL, NRT, and SYD TN use Qantas Business lounge.

At CDG, TN use the Cathay Pacific Business lounge.

At LAX, TN uses the 'International Lounge' in the Tom Bradley International Terminal for business passengers, shared with Air Fiji, El Al and Philippine Airlines; at other times, they will use the Korean Airlines lounge.

At PPT, TN offer their own Salon Manuhiri International lounge (also Diners, Airport Angel and Priority Pass may be used, though TN ticket counter employees may incorrectly tell you they don't accept those cards - in this writer's personal experience, they do.) airside, second floor via stairs or lift, open 150 minutes prior to departures.
Note: Flights within French Polynesia, e.g. to Bora Bora / BOB, are operated by Air Tahiti / VT (not oneworld nor AA partner) can be acquired with TYP, Barclays etc. travelcard points, but not with AA miles.

Other airline services to PPT include LA via SCL-IPC and AF. HA also offers once a week flights (Saturdays at this time) to PPT via HNL. AA flyers to SYD and AKL; this offers other award opportunities via AA and TN. LA flys SCL-IPC-PPT as well.

Websites: www.airtahitinui.com and www.airtahitinui-usa.com

nsuring Responsiveness to Our Customers Complaints

If a passenger has an unsatisfactory experience on one of our flights or while interacting with one of our employees, they may file a formal complaint to our Customer Relations Department. Every customer complaint will be read and acknowledged in writing within 30 days of our receipt of the complaint. If this initial communication does not fully address the concerns raised, we will send a substantive written response to the customer within 60 days.

Customer Relations can be reached immediately by clicking on the following link:
www.airtahitinui-usa.com/complaints

Or by calling 1(855) 835-9286

Or by writing through the U.S. Mail, and should be sent to:
Air Tahiti Nui - Customer Service
1970 E. Grand Ave, suite 100
El Segundo, CA 90245

Any written communication should contain the following information:
  • The name of the passenger concerned;
  • The ticket number;
  • The date and flight # concerning the complaint;[
  • If not a complaint onboard the aircraft, the date and location of the event; and
  • The nature of the event
A few French Polynesian words make your travel friendlier

Ia ora na - hello (EE-ah o-RAH-na

E - yes (eh)
Aita- no (EYE-tah)
Mauruuru - thank you (may-ooh-ROO-oo-roo)
Cheers - manuia (mon-oo-EE-ah)
Haere maru - take it easy (hah-EH-reh MAH-roo)
Nana- goodbye (NA-na)

Pronunciation:
Bora Bora - POra POra (yes, "B" is pronounced as "P")
Faa'a - faah ah
Papeete - pa-pay-EH-tay
N.B. French is the official language; speaking French is very useful in PF.
Link to Archive if 2014-2017 posts from this thread.
Print Wikipost

AA Miles Award: TN / Air Tahiti Nui award redemptions (master thread)

Old Jun 21, 2018, 9:32 am
  #46  
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 28
I am looking for an award ticket for next June that is over 330+ days out. However, on Expert Flyer I see F2 availability for the flight I will need. Is there any way to grab this now using AA miles? Or is there a way to transfer points to TN to book? I am assuming that by the time day 330/1 rolls around these will be gone and no new inventory issued (but maybe that is wrong!). Thank you for your help.

(unfortunately the link in the Wiki with master booking advice is no longer active)
LBLB4499 is offline  
Old Jun 21, 2018, 11:53 am
  #47  
 
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Austin
Posts: 4,629
Originally Posted by LBLB4499
Is there any way to grab this now using AA miles?
No.
millionmiler is offline  
Old Jun 24, 2018, 9:28 am
  #48  
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 20
I am trying to book business class award on TN using AA miles. Done it many times. EF shows availability, AA agents don't see any. When I asked to search in F (which is now business award) they see inventory but unable to price/confirm. Both April and May (up to 5/20). Nothing in coach as well. Very strange. HUCA countless of times. Resolution desk says we don't know, call tomorrow.

What it can be? Anyone has experienced that?
cdiver is offline  
Old Jun 24, 2018, 10:47 am
  #49  
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: So Cal
Posts: 927
Originally Posted by cdiver
I am trying to book business class award on TN using AA miles. Done it many times. EF shows availability, AA agents don't see any. When I asked to search in F (which is now business award) they see inventory but unable to price/confirm. Both April and May (up to 5/20). Nothing in coach as well. Very strange. HUCA countless of times. Resolution desk says we don't know, call tomorrow.

What it can be? Anyone has experienced that?
Read back a little bit and you will see this is a common issue, as of late. I have called 3 different call centers, and the story is the same. EF states no issue on their end, so your guess is as good as any what the problem is.
brodielayne is offline  
Old Jun 24, 2018, 12:08 pm
  #50  
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 20
Not only EF sees award, American sees it as well if checked in F. The bigger problem is that American cannot book it even if the agent sees it. According to the agent "unable to confirm message comes out" . on multiple HUCA.

New 787s in April, new booking system, software problem, what is that?

So the question is if anyone was able to book any TN award using AA miles for April, May next year? Please share your success story.

Last edited by cdiver; Jun 24, 2018 at 8:51 pm
cdiver is offline  
Old Jun 25, 2018, 1:26 am
  #51  
 
Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 222
Originally Posted by cdiver
<snip>

So the question is if anyone was able to book any TN award using AA miles for April, May next year? Please share your success story.
I have successfully booked TN awards using AA miles in the past month. I book these last minute as TN will give away F if they are way undersold. Please see my recent post in this thread. When an agent sees the availability but can't book it my guess is that he or she is using the wrong award codes. TN awards on AA need to have an "AP" or Another Partner award code.

Last edited by JDiver; Jun 25, 2018 at 8:09 am Reason: Fix quoted post
FleyeSkyHigh is offline  
Old Jun 25, 2018, 8:11 am
  #52  
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Original Poster
 
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Matre-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
Originally Posted by FleyeSkyHigh
I have successfully booked TN awards using AA miles in the past month. I book these last minute as TN will give away F if they are way undersold. Please see my recent post in this thread. When an agent sees the availability but can't book it my guess is that he or she is using the wrong award codes. TN awards on AA need to have an "AP" or Another Partner award code.
TN do not have F, as in First Class, just in case that statement confuses anyone. It’s, as you’ve posted previously, the F fare code needed for the award seat. I’ll bet that stymies a number of AA agents.

Thank you for providing such valuable information. Added to Wikipost.

Note: for a nice listing of services, amenities, WiFi, warnings, lounge, nearby hotels, I’ve added this link to the SleepingInAirports.net PPT page.

Last edited by JDiver; Jun 25, 2018 at 8:41 am Reason: Add
JDiver is offline  
Old Jun 25, 2018, 10:54 am
  #53  
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 20
Originally Posted by FleyeSkyHigh
I have successfully booked TN awards using AA miles in the past month. I book these last minute as TN will give away F if they are way undersold. Please see my recent post in this thread. When an agent sees the availability but can't book it my guess is that he or she is using the wrong award codes. TN awards on AA need to have an "AP" or Another Partner award code.
Thank you for sharing. Were you able to book for April or May next year? Because February and March are bookable, yet for May and April while AA agent sees inventory in F but is unable to book since "not confirmed" message comes. And yes "AP" award code was used according to the agent.

Last edited by cdiver; Jun 25, 2018 at 11:01 am
cdiver is offline  
Old Jun 25, 2018, 11:34 am
  #54  
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: ORD
Posts: 700
I booked 2 seats in U (coach) for a friend. The route is PPT-LAX. Their trip is next April. This was ticketed about 3 weeks ago.
Corridor! is offline  
Old Jul 8, 2018, 7:25 am
  #55  
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 5,438
Does anyone have any first hand confirmations of being able to book the AKL-PPT codeshare with an TN code (operated by NZ)?
belfordrocks is offline  
Old Jul 8, 2018, 7:52 am
  #56  
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Original Poster
 
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Matre-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
Originally Posted by belfordrocks
Does anyone have any first hand confirmations of being able to book the AKL-PPT codeshare with an TN code (operated by NZ)?
IMO, highly doubtful. AAdvantage Miles award bookings do not allow booking codeshares, even with oneworld airlines.
JDiver is offline  
Old Jul 8, 2018, 8:16 am
  #57  
Suspended
 
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: FIND ME ON TWITTER FOR THE LATEST
Posts: 27,730
Originally Posted by belfordrocks
Does anyone have any first hand confirmations of being able to book the AKL-PPT codeshare with an TN code (operated by NZ)?
Originally Posted by JDiver
IMO, highly doubtful. AAdvantage Miles award bookings do not allow booking codeshares, even with oneworld airlines.
Here's why the poster is asking:
Attached Images  
JonNYC is offline  
Old Jul 8, 2018, 10:43 am
  #58  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Programs: DL PM, MR Titanium/LTP, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 10,130
Booked 2x J PPT - NRT about 2 weeks ago when I got flagged that it opened per EF. Seemed better than the PPT - AKL (paid) + AKL - MEL - NRT (QF/JL J award) we had originally scheduled. Price was the same (in miles) and about $50 back in taxes.

Agent could not see the space at first (I could see the 2F on EF). I read her the information in the wiki from sbgmiles-- she understood it but was skeptical it would work it would work but said she would give it a try. Put me on hold for about 10 minutes and came back and it did work.

Took about 18 hours to process and re-ticket. AA was unable to select seats and I have not had a chance to call TN to see if they will assign seats.
Duke787 is offline  
Old Jul 14, 2018, 5:15 am
  #59  
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 28
Hi all- I called AA on exactly 331 and 330 days out regarding a booking to PPT for next June. Each time the agents stated that there is no availability in either coach or business (most correctly were able to navigate the complex booking process). I haven't seen inventory on Expert Flyer either, nor have my EF alerts been triggered. Does this seem odd? Has anyone seen something similar trying to book recently?

I know there is extremely limited inventory but nothing in coach seems especially off.
LBLB4499 is offline  
Old Jul 14, 2018, 5:25 am
  #60  
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Original Poster
 
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Matre-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
I wonder if the switch from A340s to 787s may be an issue?
JDiver is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.